AN emaciated dog was rescued from a five metre deep sewage drain by the Durban & Coast SPCA and the Durban North Fire Station early on Sunday morning. It is believed the pooch had been stuck in the drain on the N2 near Nandi Drive for several days without any food or water, and was too weak to even lift it’s head.
Incredibly, rescuers were only alerted to her presence after a car crash on the highway. The motorists were exchanging details when they heard the cries of the dog trapped in the drain.
The SPCA were then called out but sought assistance from the fire station because they needed specialist equipment to rescue the dog. The drain cover was removed using a heavy rescue vehicle with a rear mounted crane. Several lanes were cordoned off as the Inspector Lucas Moloi of the SPCA was lowered into the drain on a harness system.
“The call came through our emergency line at 12.15am on Sunday. Our Inspector with the help of the fire department was lowered into the drain to retrieve the dog. The rescue took several hours with the dog eventually being retrieved at around 5:30am.
“The dog was so relieved to see someone coming to her aid, she showed no signs of aggression. It appears the dog was in the drain for several days with no access to food or water. Inspector Moloi tried to feed her a small amount of food at the scene but she would not eat. She was severely dehydrated, fatigued and traumatised.
“She has been given antibiotics, painkillers and a bath. Once she had settled in she ate three full bowls of food and seems to be doing well so far. We will continue to monitor her health and fatten her up,” explained Lindsey Fogarty, spokesperson for the Durban & North SPCA.
One of the firefighters involved in the rescue, who could not be named, said the rescue was a team effort.
“It’s a great feeling rescuing her, and getting her out safely was our main priority. We decided to hoist the inspector down into the drain because we weren’t sure of the pooch’s condition. She seemed so happy when we got her out,” he said.
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